Expansible multi-purpose cabinet



H. C. HANSON EXPANSIBLE MULTI -PURPOSE CABINET Nov. 21, 1967 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1966 FIGURE 3 Howard 0 Hanson mvENTo.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 21, 1967 H. c. HANSON 3,353,885

EXPANSIBLE MULTI-PURPOSE CABINET Filed Feb. 1, 1966 2 Sheets-$heet 2FIGURE 7 FIGURE 8 Howard C. Hanson, INVENTOR.

FIGURE //0 I r ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,353,885 EXPANSIBLEMULTI-PURPOSE CABINET Howard C. Hanson, 577 Nothornb St, El Cajon,Calif. 92021 Filed Feb. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 524,008 1 Claim. (Cl. 312-205)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A multi-purpose cabinet structure expandablefrom a smaller closed lamp table to a larger open vanity having pairedcabinets communicating by a slidable track immovably carrying a topadapted to cover said cabinets when in adjacent closed condition.Similar lateral top extensions are carried by one of the cabinets andadapted to be placed laterally adjacent the top when the cabinets beexpanded to form a continuous vanity top. A compound winged mirror ishingeably carried by the rear edge of the top to be upwardly pivotableto an adjustable operative position.

This invention relates generally to expandable furniture and moreparticularly to a compact cabinet that may be expanded into a desk orvanity.

Multi-purpose furniture has been known for some time and has gainedpopularity where the multiuse feature is of more advantage than otherdisadvantages necessarily associated with this type of structure. Mostsuch furniture has provided its multi-use as a result of particulardesign of a non-changeable structure. One type of such furniture,however, has provided its multi-use by reason of structural changes thatmay be provided as desired within the basic structure. It is with thissecond class of multi-use furniture that this invention is primarilyconcerned.

' The instant invention seeks to provide a furniture structure of thestructurally changing type of a particular new and novel design that isan improvement over the existing art. In so doing, it is:

A principal object of my invention to provide a multipurpose expansiblecabinet that expands from a compact lampstand into a knee-hole type deskor vanity, as desired;

A further object of my invention to provide a structure of the natureaforesaid that is expansible and yet provides adequate storagefacilities of a nature equal to those of a non-expanding desk or vanity;

A still further object of my invention to provide a vanity with foldablemirror that is adjustably positionable to regulate mirror tilt forproper viewing by the user;

A still further object of my invention to provide a furniture structureof the nature aforesaid that is aesthetically desirable with theaesthetic appeal of nonexpansible furniture of a similar nature;

A still further object of my invention to provide such a structure ofnew and novel design, of rugged and durable nature, and of great economyand use and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which it isintended.

These and other objects of my invention will further appear from aconsideration of the following specification and accompanying drawingswhich form a part of this application. In carrying out the objects of myinvention, it is, however, to be understood that its essential featuresare susceptible of changes in design and structural arrangement, withonly one preferred practical embodiment being illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, as required.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers of reference refer tosimilar parts throughout:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of my cabinet structure in unexpandedcondition.

3,353,885 Fatented Nov. 21, 1967 "ice FIGURE 2 is a similar isometricview of the same cabinet as FIGURE 1 in a partially expanded condition,showing its parts and the method of expansion.

FIGURE 3 is a similar isometric view of my invention completely expandedto form a knee-hole vanity with mirror.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the removable top side-wing of myinvention, partially cut away to show the positioning dowels associatedtherewith.

FIGURE 5 is a partial cutaway, orthographic view of an adjoining portionof mirror and top wing, showing the sliding adjustment for mirror tilt.

FIGURE 6 is an orthographic, vertical cross-sectional view of theinvention illustrated in FIGURE 2, taken on the line 6-6 thereon in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 7 is an orthographic, vertical cross-sectional view of theinvention of FIGURE 2, taken on the line 77 thereon in the directionindicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 8 is an orthographic, vertical cross-sectional view of theinvention shown in FIGURE 3, taken on the line 88 thereon in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 9 is a partial orthographic cross-sectional view of the hingejunction between principal vanity mirror and wing mirror taken on theline 9--9 of FIGURE 3, in the direction indicated by the arrows thereon.

FIGURE 10 is a partial, isometric view of the lateral sliding portion ofthe top member showing dowel pin hole for positioning top wings andslide-stop for eliminating lateral motion of the cabinet sides.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail and particularly to that ofFIGURE 1, it will there be seen that my invention comprises essentiallyright cabinet member 11 and left cabinet member 12 slidably supportingfor limited motion top member 13. The right and left cabinet members areexternally similar, one being substantially the mirror image of theother and differing only in internal arrangement, Each member has innerside piece 14 and outer side piece 15 structurally joined by a bottommember 16 and back member 17. The forward edge of each outer side piece15 carries cabinet door 18 pivotably supported upon paired cabinethinges 19 communicating therebetween. The upper portion of each cabinetsupports forward top support 20 and rearward top support 21 to providesome rigidity to the upper portion of the structure. The lateralmostextension of the top supports 20, 21 carries upwardly projecting topside cover 22 of size and shape adapted to cover the side portion of thetop member 13 when in closed position.

In spaced medial position between forward and rearward top supports 20,21 are forward track support 23 and rearward track support 24, carryingrespectively the laterally extending female portion 35 of the slidingtrack. The upper surfaces of support members and track supports shouldbe flush with each other to allow for appropriate motion of the sidecabinet members relative to the top member as hereinafter provided,

The inside of the left cabinet is provided with a plu rality of shelves25 spaced as desired for convenience. This shelving may be rigidlypositioned or adjustably moveable by means well known in the cabinetryarts. The right cabinet is provided with vertical divider 26 definingthe narrow chamber 27 adapted to receive lateral top extensions 28 whenin storage. The other chamber 29 is provided with shelves 30, againpositioned for maximum utility as desired.

Cabinet doors 18 may be provided with catches (not shown) to maintainthem in closed position. They should be provided with knobs 31 toprovide for ease of manual manipulation.

As shown particularly in FIGURE 7, top member 13 comprises the flat,planar, central top 32 having a medial,

\ 3 laterally extending channel 33 formed in its lower surface toreceive the male member 34 of the slide rails, adapted to be received bythe female member 35 carried by track supports 23, 24. Top member 32 isdimensionally co-extensive in area with the two cabinet members when inadjacent position, and has a lateral extension such that it extendsbetween the two top side covers 22 when the cabinet members are adjacentto each other. The upper surface of'the top member is preferablyprovided with some structurally rigid, physically durable material suchas glass, Formica, or plastic.

Rearwardmost edge 36 of top 32 carries mirror strip 37 extendingupwardly above the upper surface of top 32, as illustrated in FIGURE 7,and laterally co-extensively with the top member. This strip 37 supportson its rearward surface the mirror stop mold 38 having channel 39adapted to prevent rotation of the mirror rearwardly beyond asubstantially vertical position, as in most vanities adesired view by aviewer is not obtained if the mirror be rotated past this point.

Mirror member 40 comprises principal-rearward mirror '41 hingeablysupporting by internal piano hinge 42 similar side wing mirrors 43. Allof these mirrors are of standard construction with peripheral framemembers 44 supporting reflecting mirror glass '45 in appropriate rabbets46 and having mirror backing members 47 for additional rigidity andsupport. The principal mirror frame dimensionally forms the top of topmember 32 and should therefore be co-extensive therewith.

In folded condition the wing members 43 are on the under surface ofrearward member 41 so they, of necessity, must be of not greatervertical dimension, and if symmetrical, not more than one-half of thelateral dimension of the principal mirror so that they may be sopositioned. The rearward surface of principal mirror 41 structurallycommunicates with piano hinge 48 carried by mirror strip 37 to allow theprincipal mirror to rotate to substantially a vertical position where itwill be maintained by mirror stop mold38.

Obviously from FIGURE 7 the pivot point of this hinge must be above theupper surface of top 32 to provide for the structure and motion recitedand for this reason, the upwardly projecting mirror strip 37 isnecessary. The upper and forward edge of principal mirror frame 41carries the forwardly or downwardly extending cover strip 49 adapted tocover the forward top edge of the top member to provide a unitarysurface without joints and to prevent physical debris of anenvironmental nature from entering the structure.

Lower frame member 44a of wing mirrors 43 is provided with alengthwise-extending channel 50 to slidably receive the head 51 of pin52 extending through an appropriate slot 53 in the lower portion of thisframe member .to structurally communicate with rubber button 54. Thisstructure provides for some forward adjustable tilt of the mirrors, asshown most clearly in FIGURE 3, as the button 54 may be variouslypositioned in wing mirrors 43 when in angled position shown in FIGURE 3to variously change the angle of the mirrors from vertical withinlimits.

Lateral top extensions 28 are best shown in the illustration of FIGURE4. They comprise a flat, planar body member 55 with depending sidemembers 56 on the forward and rearward edges 57, 58 respectively. Thelower surface of these members carries dowel pins 59 depending therefromto communicate with mating holes in the tops of cabinets 11, 12 toproperly position and align the members. The dimensioning of this membershould be such that it fits over the top of either cabinet member whenextended between the top member 13 and top side cover 22 with thedepending sides 56 extending downward- -ly over the top portion of thecabinets to form a continuous surface with the forward and rearward sidemembers of the top, all as shown in FIGURE 3.

Dowel pins 59 fit in appropriately positioned dowel pin holes 60prOVided in the top structural members 20,

21 to properly align the members when assembled and provide somerigidity to the assembled structure.

Appropriate stops 61 are provided in the slide tracks, preferably thefemale member 35, to limit the motion of cabinets 11 and -12 relative totop 13 to prevent them from coming out of communication with each other;such stops are well known and one common type is illustrated in thepartial view of FIGURE 10.

The dimensioning of my cabinet should be such preferably as to allow thetop side extensions 28 to both be carried in the chamber 27 of rightcabinet member 11, though this, of course, is no necessity. The lowersurface of cabinets 11, 12 may also be provided with some device to givea rolling support upon a supporting surface but again, in some instancesthis may be desirable and others not, as the cabinet may be expanded bymanually lifting the portion that is to be moved.

Having thusly described the structure of my invention, its operation isrelatively obvious. The right and leftcabinet members 11 and 12 willslidably carry, within limits, the top member 13 by reason of theengagement of the slide track therebetween. The entire structure may bemoved together as illustrated in FIGURE 1 with right cabinet member 11immediately adjacent the left cabinet member and top 13 covering thewhole.

In this position the structure is a compact piece of furniture welladapted for use as a small cabinet and lampstand.

To make a knee-hole desk of the structure, the right and left cabinetmembers are moved laterally away from each other to form the knee-hole62 therebetween. The two lateral top extensions 28 are then placed onthe top of the lateral part of both right and left cabinet members toform a planar surface which is well adapted for use as a desk. In thisstructure, it is to be noted that what normally would be the back ofprincipal rearward mirror 41 forms a central portion of the desk top.

To further expand the invention and make a vanity, as illustrated inFIGURE 3, the principal mirror is lifted vertically upward until itcomes to rest in mirror stop mold 38 and side wing mirrors 43 arelaterally pivoted until rubber buttons 54 carried by the lower surfaceof each are properly positioned on the upper surfaces of lateral topextensions 28 to angle the mirror as desired; in this form the structureis well adapted to serve as atypical vanity. The structure may, ofcourse, be compacted as desired by the inverse motions From theforegoing specification it is seen that I have described a particularuseful embodiment of my invention as required butit is to be understoodthat various rearrangements of parts, multiplications andmodifications'of detail may be resorted to in connection with theinvention without departing from its spirit, essence or scope.

Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect byLetters Patent, and

What I claim is:

An expansible multi-purpose cabinet, convertible from a smaller closedlamp table to a larger open vanity, of the nature aforesaid, comprising,in combination:

similar paired opposed cabinet members slidably communicating with a topsupported thereby, one of said cabinets having a vertically elongatestorage cell to store top extensions;

a slidable track structure communicating between the upper portions ofsaid cabinet members to allow slidable positioning of said cabinetmembers from a medial adjacent position to a lateral spaced position;

a top member supported above saidtrack structure in immoveablerelationship therewith, said top adapted to cover said cabinets when inmedial adjacent position;

similar paired lateral top extensions adapted to fit laterally of saidtop member, when said cabinets are laterally extended, to form acontinuous vanity top surface; and

compound mirror member comprising a principal rearward element pivotablycarried by the rearward edge of said top to raise vertically upwardtherefrom 5 and having paired opposed wing mirrors pivotably carried bythe vertical lateral edges of said principal mirror, said Wing mirrorseach being supported upon said top extensions by support buttonsslidably carried in their lower edges to allow adjustable vertical 10positioning of all said mirrors.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Loring.

Strain 312240 X Schreiner 312-240 X Murray 312240 X De Gaal 108-86Troutman 248129 Hindin 312-227 X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

